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ALBUM REVIEW: ‘Pendulum’ – Aisha Badru

Something that much of music releases seem to lack is honesty. Aisha Badru’s debut album, Pendulum, is not one of them. A raw, and organic collection of tracks that drips in genuineness, Pendulum provides its listener with soft, folksy ballads that rise and fall in all the right places.

Opening with ‘Mind of Fire’, a stunningly gorgeous ballad that showcases Badru’s delicate indie vocal that contrasts nicely with the rebellious subject of its lyrics, Pendulum is immaculately crafted from its beginning. The albums early tracks focus very heavily on actual instruments, allowing you to hear each strum of the guitar in ‘Navy Blues’ and every key in the simple piano ballad ‘Just Visiting’. ‘Fossil Fuels’ and ‘Happy Pretending’ combine those fabulous instrumentals with the a soft use of synth that never takes you out of the album or seems to throw the balance of the album off instead blending fabulously into the natural instrumental, particularly on the latter, where the violin/piano/synth for sublimely together.

The album’s highlight comes in its second last track ‘Splintered’. With its fast paced acoustic guitar instrumental, Badru evokes the feeling of splintering with her raw, strong vocal that contrasts beautifully with the dark and rotten lyrics that provide a marvellous commentary on human beings.

All in all, Aisha Badru’s debut album, Pendulum, never falters in its mission on providing and a calming and beautiful half an hour of natural and stunning thoughts captured in song.